Gossip and Laughs
by artemiswritesfluff
Summary: Frenemies, mentions of exes, returning of said exes, is someone an axe murderer... probably not but who knows, flying paperweights, disastorous relationships et al. Reuniting the past with the present for a set of laughs and finally some resolutions to forgotten storylines.
1. Chapter 1

Connie had traveled up to Darwin in search of a missing patient but Jac was adamant that it was really for a gossip with her: one of their weekly girly chats and hair braiding sessions. Connie just rolled her eyes at this and continued looking for the vulnerable man. 10 minutes of fruitless searching later and she decided to give up and return to the ED. However she was intercepted by a porter with the news that Ms Tate wanted to see her. This led to her quick return to Darwin and the clinical lead's office. Anywhere to hide from the hideous amount of bureaucracy. Jac just seemed to find this amusing probably because the CEO was currently avoiding her due to the whole Fletch shebangle. Another 10 minutes and they were deep in gossip over the disastrous love triangle and comparing to yet another mishap – the Jac/Joseph/Faye thing although that was more of a square due to Linden. 8 years on and neither could still get their heads around it. They agreed profoundly that it was good that the Byrnes had finally cut all ties and left even if it meant losing a good surgeon despite his issues. Regaling in past memories though gave the cardiothoracic consultant the perfect way to bring Sam up. This was when Connie began regretting the whole idea.

"How's Sam these days? He was medical director one second, your registrar the next, resigned not much later, thought he'd apply to Darwin or St. James' but he was gone, almost overnight."

"Exactly," she paused trying to hide the hurt. "He was here one second and had disappeared with our daughter to the bloody States without even saying goodbye the next. I didn't even get to say bye to Grace, just a call saying how much she loved 'home'. She didn't want to be here and she didn't want me. I guess that all proved that." She paused her rant to catch her breath and to stop herself from crying. "I don't know anything more than that. I was supposed to fly out to Aspen to spend Christmas with them but I guess that you know how that went. Both of us bunged up in hospital wards. At least you had him even if it wasn't who you truly wanted there."

"I didn't- I don't- It's hard but he's moved on." Jac replied. "Last I heard he had a marvelous new wife and probably more kids and a dog too. Surely you got that invite." Glad for the topic to be off her, Connie decided to push harder.

"Was that what he offered you when you left? Do you wish that you had taken it?" She spoke dejectedly though as she realized that her friend had at least been given the option. Sam had never wanted her, not really. However much she tried to convince herself that she didn't care, that was what it kept coming back to and man it hurt like hell. Realising that Jac hadn't answered her questions (even if they were semi-rhetorical), she spoke further. "You wouldn't have Emma if you'd gone and the life of a GP or a GP's wife that isn't you. You have a passion and a sheer talent for this and he couldn't have expected you to give up on your hard-fought dreams just to fulfill the role that had been ingrained into his head. He could do whatever he wants just down to his family's money alone but you, you've had to fight every step for this so don't you ever regret it. Yeah everything seems like crap but it would've all fallen apart had it not been what you really wanted and that's speaking from experience. I went into my marriage with Michael feeling like I had everything that I'd ever want but we yearned for different things and it made a mess of everything. Don't get me wrong, I did love him but it was never going to last forever and you would've I daresay been in a very similar boat. But don't let that hold you back. You know who you are and what you want now. You would know what it was worth and what you'd be missing. Hopefully that would make it more secure." She trailed off as she contemplated her own array of messy relationships in regret. "Sam said that we would do this together after the crash. Look after Grace, be a proper family, give us a second chance and all was talk. All it was was a romp in a store cupboard and let's leg it now that she actually might want this. Let's leave her all alone as pathetic and as rubbish a mother as ever. Your life could be so much worse. As a matter of fact, I'd say that you've been incredibly lucky but that's what happens some are some aren't." She had Jac's attention fully on her now but she didn't dare look up and see the inevitable look of pity in her eyes. She was still struggling to come to terms with it herself.

"So I guess he's like the road runner then," Jac suggested with a smirk on her face. This granted a slight laugh from Connie's lips."We're both well and truly fucked up then, aren't we? Shit at relationships and barely surviving parenthood. At least we know what to do if someone charges at us and we only have a scalpel."

"Why ever would that happen?

"Have you seen this place? We must have the highest rates for murder and assault."

"So basically we must go around with scalpels in our pockets or hands hoping that someone attacks us before we kill ourselves or get called up to Tate's office for psych evaluations. Great."

"Cut the sarcasm, Con. We need to keep our supplies up for the incoming F1s."

"You're not going to sleep with any from this lot are you?"

"That was just once and it was Valentine so it doesn't count"

"Oh, it definitely counted towards his recommendation of character, biased I'd say!" She ducked to avoid the incoming paperweight. By now both were chuckling away. The laughter was only cut through with bursts of sarcastic jibes and reminiscing at past colleagues. This was how they lasted for another half an hour before the CEO finally deemed it necessary to check on Darwin.


	2. Chapter 2

Needless to say Ms Tate wasn't best impressed when she followed the sound of giggles to Jac's office. They may have decided to take lunch earlier but they had still missed her meeting. She proceeded to rant about the lack of professionalism and how they'd left her visitors (probably potential donors) waiting. The professionalism, at least, was laughable. Was sleeping with colleagues and getting into full-blown arguments generally considered professional, or was it just here? She gave them both 5 minutes to check on their wards, freshen up and meet them in the conference room next to Keller.

Connie rejoined Jac just outside the lift where she was badgering Ric who it seemed had also been pulled off his ward.

"I have absolutely no idea who she wants us to meet but it doesn't prevent us from being polite and courteous"

"Polite and courteous, really? For all we know the visitor could be a bloodthirsty axe-wielding monster." It was at this point Connie interjected.

"They not going to be murderers, bloodsucking leeches now that's a possibility but not axe fanatics. I mean Ms Tate is still alive isn't she?"

"Well I'm not sure if she was ever alive in the first place"

"Grow up Ric. She has a job to do. Now are we going to go and do our jobs as clinical leads or waste more time?" The other two reluctantly followed Connie who was more assured knowing that the CEO wanted to see her for something other than to chase figures which only highlighted the awful job Ethan had managed to do. She really didn't need to have her head bitten off when she was currently trying to untangle the mess. They strode across the ward deigning Sacha and Dom with brief nods of acknowledgement and knocked on the door.

"Come in." Abi called. "I would like you to meet our latest recruit. Mr Byrne meet our clinical leads."

"…"


	3. Chapter 3

"What the hell is he doing here? Shouldn't he be off playing happy families somewhere in Cumbria? I mean, come on Connie." Jac complained as they headed back to the lift in the knowledge that there would be a new consultant on Darwin the following day.

"She said that it wasn't permanent yet. Who knows he might do a reality check and realise he can't work you and therefore disappear back to his surgery in the country. Alternatively he might come into work acting like a headless chicken and get fired before the day is out. Feathers, gobbledegoop, dancing et al."

"You're not even taking this seriously."

"Oh no I definitely am. I mean it would add flames to the rumor mill. Ice bitch Naylor in love with utter maniac with a penchant for the crazy." She looked over at Jac and rolled her eyes at the emotions scrawled across her face. "If necessary just ask him out to dinner or drag him into an on call room; surely that'll get you your answer." She dragged her over to a pair of secluded chairs to continue the conversation in privacy.

"I'm not going to-, I wouldn't do that. I have Emma to think about now. I'm a middle-age woman with a post kid and multiple surgery body, fat and scars galore. Why would he want me over some young, pretty, Botoxed gold digger who can birth him loads of children to fill up his massive mansion and without nearly killing them in the process."

"What happened to Emma was not your fault. You're a doctor. You know that. It happens occasionally and we are helpless to stop it. I was willing to give up on Grace, take her off life support a position that she wouldn't have been in had I managed to carry her full-term. Had I not used the defibrillators on Lola. Yet I did and it happened. I'm not a fan personally but if he loves you go for it. He should accept her and everything else if he does. I mean he's at least got better looking in his time away, and don't you dare get all possessive jealous girlfriend on me over that comment"

"I'm not and I'm definitely not his girlfriend."

"Fine, ex-girlfriend then. The woman that he suggested a marriage and a family too." They stood there in silence for a minute going over everything in their heads before Connie broke the silence. "How often do you think he goes to the gym then?" Jac glared at her and tried to ignore the smirk creeping across her colleague's lips.

"Most days before work, leaves someone to get Harry ready and off to school. He probably has all the mums and old ladies coming into the surgery just to get time with him one on one. Not like that. He has more professionalism than that. The staff must get sick of all the *swooning* patients."

"So you agree that he's swoon-worthy."

"I take it that you don't have eyes."

"He's better looking than the load that we have in ED. Well excluding Jacob he is."

"What about Sam?"

"Ah fuck, ok I guess. Could do with less cake and pies. I actually walked in on him changing in my office last year. He was only topless at the time but he had the nerves to ask if I wanted to stay while he took his trousers off!" Jac burst out laughing at her expense.

"That's definitely one for the memory book. 'Today, my ex, or sperm donor if we're being picky, decided to undress in my office and then gave me a come-on. Can you believe it? I can't. I mean, I hate him so much and I definitely didn't stop to check him out…' I wonder what Grace would say."

"Ugh. Definitely." At least someone was finding her misfortunes funny. "So are you going to make up," she said switching back the topic, "or flirt a bit and see what his reaction is? If that all fails you could just ignore him but I feel for your staff who are soon to be enveloped in your UST." She laughed and stood up. "Good luck!" With that she left to answer her pager and in doing so reminded Jac of her job waiting for her on another floor. She didn't know what to do but did appreciate the chats with her former boss as it all seemed like it was from a lifetime ago and not many people bothered to make time even to say hi to her these days. She would send Connie a text later to say thanks and would probably email Sam at the same time to see how he and Grace were if only to pass it on but it would have to wait until she had finished her shift as her pager went off alerting her of an incoming major RTC. As long as she managed to avoid Fletch everything would be fine.


End file.
